Ben McKendry

18

Midfielder

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 150 lbs.

Birth Date: 03-25-1993

Hometown: Vancouver, BC

Previous Club: Whitecaps FC Prospects

PROFILE
A gifted central midfielder that has represented Canada at youth international level, Ben McKendry joined Whitecaps FC Residency on Sept. 7, 2010, after being a member of the club’s Prospects program.

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER RESERVE LEAGUE
2012: McKendry made his MLS Reserve League debut as a second-half substitute for Whitecaps FC reserves, as they drew 1-1 at home to Seattle Sounders FC reserves in the season opener on Mar. 26.

UNITED SOCCER LEAGUES PREMIER DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE2011: McKendry made 13 appearances during his first PDL season with Whitecaps FC Residency, as they finished third in the Northwest Division of the PDL’s Western Conference.

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC RESIDENCY2010-11: In Nov. 2010, McKendry appeared in all six matches of the Residency team’s tour of Mexico. This included starts versus both the U-18 (Nov. 10) and the U-19/U-20 (Nov. 16) sides of Mexican Primera Division club Estudiantes Tecos. In Apr. 2011, the midfielder appeared in all three Bracket C matches in the U-19 Super Group at Dallas Cup XXXII. This included the 3-2 win over Brazil’s Sport Club Corinthians Paulista (Apr. 17, 2011), the 2-0 defeat to Mexico's Tigres de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (Tigres UANL) (Apr. 18, 2011), and the 2-0 defeat to Real Salt Lake U-17/U-18 Academy (Apr. 20, 2011). McKendry also started the 2-1 friendly win over Costa Rica's Liga Deportiva Alajuelense at Dallas Cup XXXII on Apr. 21, 2011. 2009-10: McKendry joined the Residency squad for their successful two-week trip to Madrid, Spain, in Nov. 2009. The talented midfielder played in all five matches during the trip, which included a 2-2 draw versus the U-18 side of Club Atlético de Madrid on Nov. 4 and a 2-0 victory over the U-18 side from Spanish and European giants Real Madrid Club de Fútbol on Nov. 11.

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC PROSPECTS2009-10: McKendry had an impressive season with the U-18 Prospects squad. The midfielder helped Bart Choufour's side win the 2009-10 Men's Division One title in the Fraser Valley Soccer League and the 2010 Knight Soccer League Division One title, with the U-18 Prospects winning all their matches in the summer-run league. The midfielder also won the 2010 Ronale Naidu Memorial Indoor Soccer Tournament with the U-18 Prospects. 2007-08: As a member of the U-16 Prospects side, McKendry helped the young ’Caps reach the semifinals of the Las Vegas College Showcase in Mar. 2008.

INTERNATIONALU-20: A dual Canadian and New Zealand citizen, McKendry attended a training camp with New Zealand's U-20 national team before opting to represent his birth country of Canada. In Dec. 2011, McKendry attended a training camp with Canada’s U-20 national team in Sunrise, Florida, after being selected by head coach Nick Dasovic. U-18: McKendry’s first call-up to the Canadian national team program was with the country’s U-18 squad for a Jan. 2011 camp in San Jose, Costa Rica.

YOUTH/AMATEUR
McKendry started his soccer career as a four-year-old with Grandview Legion Football Club in Vancouver, BC. He then moved with his family to Christchurch, New Zealand, as a five-year-old and continued his soccer development at Burnside Association Football Club, which is the largest soccer club on New Zealand's South Island. Following his spell in New Zealand, the midfielder returned to East Vancouver's Grandview Legion and remained there until 2003 when he joined East Vancouver's Italian Canadian Sports Federation (ICSF). It was at ICSF where McKendry went on to win the Vancouver Cup's Most Valuable Player Award in 2004. The following season, McKendry joined Vancouver's Marpole Soccer Club and was an instrumental player for his team, as he went on to win the Vancouver Cup's Most Valuable Player Award for the second year in a row, in addition to winning the Pioneer Cup's Most Valuable Player Award. The following three seasons saw the midfielder play for Vancouver Selects (now Vancouver FC), where he played in conjunction with Whitecaps FC Prospects until 2009. He has also featured for the British Columbia provincial team program at the U-14 and U-16 levels, and was a member of the Canadian Soccer Association's National Training Centre (British Columbia region) program from 2007 to 2009. McKendry also travelled internationally with the Total Soccer Systems (TSS) Academy, who are based on Richmond, BC. With TSS Academy, the midfielder played in Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands in 2005.

PERSONAL
Born and raised in Vancouver, BC, McKendry a strong connections to New Zealand, with the family carrying dual Canadian/New Zealand citizenship. McKendry was a student for one years at Ilam School in Christchurch, New Zealand, before returning back to Vancouver, BC, with his family, where he continued his education at Garibaldi Annex and Lord Nelson Elementary School in his hometown. McKendry then attended Vancouver's Templeton Secondary School from 2006 to 2010. His parents are Sue and Ian McKendry, while he has a brother named Geoff.

INTERESTING FACTS
When not concentrating on his soccer career, McKendry enjoys hockey and is a big fan of the NHL's Vancouver Canucks. He is also a fan of English Premier League clubs Chelsea FC and Blackburn Rovers FC. The midfielder's other interests include watching movies, playing video games, and playing golf.

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